


Till the ends of the earth

by ConfusedStateOfMind



Series: We could be heroes just for one day [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, I’m soft for little vanya, No Incest, The others are like siblings to them, Young Vanya - Freeform, apocalypse au, protective big brother Five
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-25 23:14:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19755724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfusedStateOfMind/pseuds/ConfusedStateOfMind
Summary: Several years ago, due to strange circumstances 36 people have been reported missing and found dead. 36 out of 43.———————Vanya looked down at her arm, the shape of an umbrella stayed marked into her skin like some sort of scar.  Five had said that each of them were born with the marks. They were what visually identified them as special.AU- Reginald only managed to adopt Vanya and Five. Vanya is 4 and Five is 13. Each one of them has the same birthday, but were born in different years. Post apocalypse Setting.





	1. Somewhere we will find our place

The sound of the downstairs clock woke him up from his slumber. Five lifted his head up slowly, rubbing his eyes drowsily. His little sister was curled up beside him, arm clutching her teddy bear, thumb in her mouth. He turned his attention to the closed bedroom door with anxiety. _Rule #1 NEVER have the door closed._

He couldn’t help being paranoid, especially nowadays. 

_Over the past few years, due to strange circumstances, 36 people have been reported missing and found dead. 36 out of 43._

Five carefully got up from bed and made his way over to his dresser to change out of his sleepwear. He looked into the mirror on the wall and combed his hair until there were no pieces sticking out. “ _Number Five! Come down here this instant!”_ His father shouted from downstairs. He let out an agitated sigh and made a jump to where his father had called from. Reginald Hargreeves was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper as usual. “Yes sir?” He said through his teeth. “Watch your tone Number 5!” He growls before continuing, “I will be attending a conference meeting all day this afternoon. You will behave accordingly. Prepare food for yourself and your sister. Do you understand?” Five merely nodded in response. “Good. Now go wake Seven and help her get dressed.” With that, he turned his attention back to his paper and Five returned to the bedroom. 

He stepped inside and smiled softly at the sight of his sister curled on her side, still holding onto her bear tightly. He walked over and brushed her bangs from her forehead. “Vanya, It’s time to wake up now.” He whispered sweetly. His little sisters eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head slightly, rubbing her eyes. “Five?” He chuckled before lifting her out of the bed. He carried her to the dresser and put her down so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed. He helped her out of her pajamas and into her everyday clothes. _Rule #2 ALWAYS where your uniform when at home._

Five brush her hair, then took her hand and guided her towards the kitchen. He helped vanya up into her chair and started to make them both breakfast. He set their plates down in front of them. Although he ate without difficulty, vanya was being a little more stubborn. She refused to eat the eggs in front of her.

“Ven, you need to eat all your food.” He pushed the plate closer to her. “No I don’t want to! They taste icky!” She whined with puppy eyes, crossing her arms. With her powers, she pushed the plate further away from her. _Rule #3 Seven must never use her powers unless in a dire situation._ “Please vanya?” She just shook her head uncooperatively. Five let out a sigh. “Ven, remember when I told you about the adventure we’re going to go on?” She looked up with a pouty lip and nodded. “Well, today is the start of that adventure. We’re going to leave today. So I need you to eat so you don’t get hungry on the way.” She nodded again, looking down at her plate of now cold eggs. “What about dad?”

He sighed again “We’re leaving him behind. We’re finally going to get away from him, V! We’re going to meet the others in the woods and get as far away from him as possible.” She nodded again and looked down at her arm, the shape of an umbrella stayed marked into her skin like some sort of scar. Five had said that each of them were born with the marks. They were what visually identified them as special. 

Vanya knew, even at her young age, that their lives would be better without their father. Five told her this repeatedly. She had seen other kids outside her window walk happily down the street with their parents, she knew Five yearned for the two of them to experience such love. When they met the others, Five believed that it could their reality. They had each other, but now they had the others. Vanya couldn't quite remember them, five spoke so fondly of them. 

The two of them spent so much time with them, or so Five says. That was 2 and a half years ago, Vanya was at the age of 2, she couldn’t remember what the others looked like. Five had told her that their father had become suspicious of their leavings in the afternoon, so it would be dangerous to continue seeing them. They had all agreed that when the time was right, all seven of them would leave together, and set out for a better life. Today was that day. 

Ever since Vanya was born, Five had made it his sole purpose to make sure he was always there for his sister, to give her the love a child of her age deserved and to make sure to protect her from the harsh words their father always directed at her. Now the day has arrived, they would leave, find the others, Five said they were just like them. They were _special._ They understood. 

Vanya could remember things about them, fragments of memories, what their voices might sound like (though she couldn’t quite remember), and an intense blinding light of orange and red.

Vanya's given name was seven. Fives was _,_ _well Five._ Oddly enough they shared the same birthday, though they were born nine years apart. Five told her that every single one of them had the same birthday, though in different years. He said that’s what made them special. They're birthday gave them their abilities along with the marks on their arms. __Rule #4 Do not talk about your powers or the day that caused them._ _

On vanya's 3rd birthday and fives 12th, He decided that she deserved a _real_ name. He had overheard his father say that he had found and adopted her in Russia, so he thought her name should fit with where she came from. After some consideration, he selected the name ‘Vanya’ for it was his favourite on the list. 

He made the decision to not give himself a name, he simply didn’t want one. 

_Rule #5 Never address each other by anything other than their number._

———————————

Once Vanya had finished her food, Five brought her upstairs so they could pack. Five had found a rusty red wagon that they could use to carry their things abandoned on the street. He took out an old briefcase and started putting things inside. Their uniform shirts, blazers and fives shorts (five concluded that it would be irrational for Vanya to travel in skirts -especially out _there_ -,so he saved up some money to buy her some proper clothing: Pants, shorts, sweaters, etc.) He also packed items like blankets, basic hygiene objects, fives notebooks and vanyas favourite books. 

Five dressed vanya up in an oversized sweater, made sure she had everything, handed her her teddy bear and took their things downstairs. Then he took out the wagon and a cheap tent from the hiding place behind the stairs and went to the kitchen. He rummaged through the shelves for all the non perishable food items he could find, filled up several canteens with water and took out the first aid kit. Five then took his sisters tiny hand, looked back at the house one more time before closing the door behind them. _Rule #6 NEVER leave the house when fathers gone._


	2. A Long Ways Ahead

The two of them made their way down the street, in the direction of the forest which seemed to surround their hometown. As they made their way down the sidewalk, onlookers watched them pass by and quickly turned away when Five made eye contact with a scowl. Numerous whispers were shared as they tread by. Nearly all residents of the area knew of the Hargreeves family, somewhat vaguely. The uniforms which the children constantly wore were indistinguishable. 

There has been several sightings of the two children out of the big house, a grouchy boy holding the hand of a little girl who always hid behind her bangs, burying herself behind her brother whenever a stranger looks down at her. They both were commonly spotted at the local doughnut shop just around the corner.

It was a rare sight to see Reginald Hargreeves out of the house, almost unimaginable. 

When he does leave, it’s almost as if he had vanished off the face of the earth. It’s outlandish because outside the town, there was nowhere else to go. 

Each of the locals have gathered different stories about what transpires within those old walls and where Reginald disappears to, but it has been proven difficult due to the family’s remote, secretive conduct. Some nights through the windows you could vaguely see the flashing of blue and white lights, sometimes you could hear shouts of a man followed by the strange tremble of the houses contents. Sometimes on a larger scale, the vibrations affected the buildings and streets neighboring the house, causing earthquake like circumstances. 

On many occasions concerned citizens have alerted the authorities. The old man who always answered the door simply stated that nothing was the matter. One night in particular, the screams a child were heard at night. Of coarse, the police were instantly notified. Once they arrived at the mansion, they searched the home, against Reginald’s protests. But their father has been very menacing, threatening them both not to tell why the screams came. So the police left with the story of a young girl who reacts to nightmares intensely. The sounds of shouts soon followed after the door shut, and a whimper. 

It was one of the biggest mysteries in the area, what really happens inside. 

People whispered, people stared. But the two kept walking. 

———————————-

They reached the outer rim of the forest at midday. The tall brick fence with barbed wire that surrounded the town towered above their heads. Missing posters of locals were plasters on the faded cement. 

Five grasped his sisters hand and their wagon firmly and jumped to the other side. 

The forest was murky and filled with fog. The menacing sound of the wind gusting through the low hanging trees made Fives stomach turn uneasily. He pulled his sister close and started down the desolate path. 

  
  


It was a ways walk and the amount of sleep they had received the night before had made the journey quite challenging for the two of them. 

They trekked down the rocky rigged path, an ominous silence in the air. The pathway was long and treacherous, and would take days, but with careful calculations and planning, Five had decided that it would be a two day trip until they reached the others. 

“Five, how much longer?” Vanya asked tiredly, rubbing her eyes with her small fist. 

“Just a little while longer Ven. We’ll set up camp soon.” He crouched down to adjust her sweater which was falling down her shoulder. 

“But my feet are hurting.” She whined, looking up at him, and put her thumb in her mouth. 

“How many times have I told you not to suck your thumb?” He grasped her wrist gently and pulled her arm down. “You’re 4 years old now. You’re too old to be doing this.” Vanya stayed quiet. 

Five sighed “Come here.” He picked her up and placed her carefully down in the wagon, making sure she was comfortable. 

He tried to slip off her thin, threadbare sweater, but vanya let out a whimper and shook her head aggressively. “Noooo!” She pouted. 

“Ven it’s getting cold. You need to wear something warmer.” She simply shook her head again stubbornly. He groaned in irritation. 

“Please?” She looked down. After a moment she nodded slightly. Five let out a breath of gratitude. 

He helped her take her arms out of the sweater. He rummaged through their bag and pulled out a faded grey sweatshirt. “Ok, arms up.” He pulled the sweater down over her head. The sweatshirt was his, so it trailed down to her feet and hung past her hands, but at least it would keep Vanya warm. Her bangs were filled with static and her face held a tooth gap grin. Five smiled softly and smoothed down her hair. He handed her her bear which she took gratefully. 

“Why’s it scary here?” She mumbled holding her bear to her face. 

Five exhaled flustered, calculating how to respond. “It-it’s complicated. I don’t think you’ll understand.” 

She looked down “Oh. Ok.”

“Ready to go?” He asked standing up, brushing off the dirt of his clothes. Vanya nodded. 

“Alright then.” He grabbed the wagons handle and began to pull it down the path. Luckily, his sister wasn’t heavy, which made pulling the wagon on the trail easier. 

  
  
  


The sound of bushes rustling came from behind the two, the scampering of an animal and a whimper soon followed. 

  
  
  
  



	3. Crocodile Rock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Title: Crocodile rock by Elton John

The sight of rusting, deserted cars lay abandoned on the side of what was left of a cracked and terribly misshapen road. The terrifying screech of birds echoed through the grim, desolate forest from their places gliding in the smog-gray sky. 

Five and Vanya made their way through the woods. Five had decided that the heavily polluted and smoke filled air was inadequate for them,  _ especially vanya _ to breath. 

He had stumbled across an anti haze mask in an abandoned truck, and claimed it as their own. 

Five attempted to put the mask on vanya, she squirmed in his grasp. Vanya struggled as he slipped the mask on her small face. 

“Vanya-“ he groaned. “Just...hold still!” He struggled. She let out a whimper as he prevailed with his endeavour. 

She stayed silent the rest of the walk, sulking. For himself, he simply covered his nose and mouth with a tattered scarf. 

—————

Dusk fell over their heads as they made their way towards an area of flattened land. 

“We’ll sleep here tonight and leave first thing tomorrow, ok vanya?” Five asked while dropping his bag from his shoulder to the ground. She hugged her bear and stayed silent. Five was used to his sisters silence. She wasn’t a very talkative girl for her age, though neither was he. Five found comfort in his sister's constant tranquillity. Oftenly he and Vanya would spend hours together in content silence, enjoying each other's presence. 

He lifted Vanya out of the wagon and set her down on her feet. He proceeded to take the tent out of the wagon and started to set it up. “You need me to help?” She mumbled quietly into her bear, but loud enough for him to hear her. 

“Yeah, could you come here please?” He grunted, attempting to connect two metal rods together. She slowly walk towards him, leaving her bear behind, eyes hidden behind her bangs. “Here Venny. Can you hold this for me please?” He gestured to the far corner of the tent. She nodded and followed her brothers instructions. 

Once the tent was finished being set up, five brought their belongs inside. He ushered Vanya to follow, and zipped the wall shut. He removed blankets from the briefcase, and made a makeshift bed for the two. 

Five brought Vanya close, and tucked her under the covers. “Its time to sleep now, Ven.” he spoke softly, brushing the hair off her forehead. They had made a two day trip in one and the exhaustion made an evident impact on his sister. Her reaction to the tiring voyage was just as anticipated, seeing as though a child of her age should not experience such stressful things.

“Read me a story.” She requested shyly. “You always do.” Vanya mumble, looking down timidly. Five sighed “Of course I will.” He searched the bag for the book Vanya always showed great fondness towards - an old, crumbly copy of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh- and grabbed a flashlight as well. He fixed the small pillow, giving himself some sort of support as he laid back. Vanya curled into his side as he flipped the book open to the first page. He cleared his throat and started.

—————

The darkness surrounded them as they slept, the ominous forest was filled with an uneasy peace, the stillness of the surrounding fog was silent. The temperature had dropped drastically within the past few hours, the clothing had been proven not enough. Vanya's small head was rested on Fives chest, he held his small sister close, attempting to keep her body temperature moderate at best. The two were asleep, shaking slightly due to the cold. 

  
  
  
  


The rustle of a bush brought Five out of his slumber abruptly, his eyes shot open at the sound. He causiously lifted Vanyas head onto the pillow and wrapped her with blankets. He sat upright with alarm and anxiety, his breath visible in the air as he exhaled with slight panic.

Crawling over to the tents exit, he grabbed the flashlight and zipped open the door, stepping out carefully. 

“Hello?” No answer, the bushes rustled louder, closer. 

“Who the fucks out there?” He yelled louder with anger and slight fear. The sound of something approaching echoed in the dark, Fives eyes kept switching from the greenery to the tent where his little sister was sleeping. 

Suddenly, two figures emerged from the shrubs, hands in the air. “It’s ok, it’s ok!” One of them was shouting. The two were roughly his height, he shun the flashlight at them to identify their faces. 

“Wha- Ben? Klaus? Is that you?”

Their faces brightened, they ran towards Five, who met them halfway. 

The three shared a hug, chuckling as they pulled apart. “It’s been so long since I last saw you guys.” Five spoke with relief. 

Ben and Klaus were adopted brothers and did everything together, though all seven of them considered themselves family despite the long distance between them. Klaus and Ben are 13, much like Five is. Allison (# 3), if he could recall properly was 14 or 15, Diego (#2) and Luther (#1) were both 17, leaving Vanya the youngest followed by the three of them. 

Klaus chuckled. “Tell me about it. Say, you still stuck in that old house with that old douche bag?” 

  
  


“Mmhmm. He’s gotten worse now that we’re older, Ven especially had it bad.”

“Where is Seven anyway?” Ben asked curiously. He always had a great fondness towards her, all six of them considered her as their baby sister. 

“She’s asleep. Actually, I gave her a new name. Vanya.” He smiled proudly. 

“Vanya.” Klaus tried. “I like it.”

Five smiled again before asking, “How long have you guys been out here? When did you guys last sleep?” 

“Oh, we’re fine. We’ve been out here for, say 5 hours or so? Bens been freaking out since we crossed the wall of our city.” Klaus laughed nudging his brother with his elbow. 

“Hey! This place is creepy!” He yelled in his defence. 

“It’s also dangerous. We don’t know what’s out here…” Five added. He looked at the sky, the slight glow of the morning sunrise shined from behind the dark gloomy clouds. “I should start packing, there’s still a long ways left till we reach the others.” 

Ben and klaus nodded in agreement. Five went into the tent to wake Vanya, he came out a moment later with her in his arms. Her hair was messy, she rubbed her eyes sleepily with one hand, holding her bear in the other. 

  
  


He set her down in front of the two, she immediately became fearful of the new people standing in front of her, she retracted and hid behind her brothers leg. 

“Jesus, shes gotten so big! You must be, what, four years old now?” Klaus smiled down at her. She nodded tentatively. 

“You don’t remember us, do you?” Ben crouched down, noticing how she flinched at him and looked up at Five, who crouched down too and whispered to his sister. “It’s alright Ven, these are our friends. These are our  _ family _ .”

“Family?” Her voice was small. 

“Yeah. That’s Klaus,” he pointed at him, he waved at her with a smile. “And this is Ben.”

She stayed quiet. Five sighed. “Aren’t you gonna say hello?”

“H-hello.” She was almost whispering, but they could still hear her. 

“There you go! Now, why don’t you hold Bens hand while Klaus and I clean up our things?” 

  
  
  
  


They started walking again, Vanya holding Bens hand, Five pulling the wagon and Klaus skipping obnoxiously while singing “Crocodile Rock” trying to lighten the mood, making Vanya laugh and the others groan. 

The tree branches hung low like grasping fingers, their dried, dying leaves quivering in the wind. The twigs felt like jagged thorns as they made contact with the four’s skin as they walked past, a wanted poster of the evil, well known criminal ‘the Handler’ was caught in one of the sticks. 

A musty scent was in the air, heavy and suffocating, like decay. Above it all, the sun could be seen shining dimly, hung in the sky, through the gray dark clouds of smog, its light casting trembling shadows through the trees.

When Vanya grew tired, Klaus gave her a piggyback ride as they tretched on. 


End file.
